So last two summers I’ve spent a month in a holiday destination, can’t do that this year, and now I’m feeling lost

[Redrobinbobbin]

As I’ve genuinely forgotten how the hell I fill 6 weeks of summer holidays
I’ve obviously had many many summer holidays to fill in previous years
but it’s like pre covid I cant remember them !

then last two years then summer holidays have flown by as been in holiday for most of them

now I’m thinking the what fuck are we gonna do for 6 weeks
xx

@Redrobinbobbin having come back from living in Copenhagen what I can say is they have amazing and reasonable hostels with family rooms. All on great public transport. I'm not sure exactly how tight your budget is but would be easy to spend 3 weeks and find plenty to do with kids the age yours are. It's definitely not French /Tuscany villa kind of money

I have said the 16 year old will be doing some work over the summer
and I agree it’s mainly down to them to organise themselves at 16, I mean I was working full time at 16

i think I’m just finding the shifts in ages and stages a bit challenging atm
perhaps why I’m a bit stressed about this

I realise of your working and unable to get time off with your dc over the summer hols that must be really hard
and I why this is first world problems

but there’s some amazing ideas in here I wouldn’t have come up with
as sometimes you need a bit of a reminder
well I do anyway

i also do realise i do try too hard sometimes, think it’s because I had a traumatic childhood at times and I always wanted to be the mum I wanted as a child
😢😢and that sometimes makes me try too hard
and I’m hard on myself

Have a few days out, the rest of a time is an opportunity to chill out at home.

Eh, it very much depends on who you are, I think. I go mad after a day or so at home, and I'm an adult. And it's not about being spoiled in childhood; as I grew up in and out of care for neglect.

Some people can spend hours and days at home and be absolutely fine; some go stir crazy. If you're used a lengthy period away and then aren't having it, it's understandable for that to cause a bit of a panic.

I am struggling to feel any sympathy for you here. Very goady of you to start such an insensitive thread. I'm so sorry that you can't have your usual month away and that your nearly adult children might have to get off their backsides and entertain themselves

Well there's always someone worse off and better off than you. Wondering how you're going to entertain two kids for six weeks is pretty standard stuff. I'm a sahm and am in a reasonably lucky position. I still absolutely dread the summer holidays and stress that my DC are doing enough, whether they're having too much screen time etc. .it's not like decades ago when kids played out all day and came home at tea time.

It's not about someone having more, it's about the bizarre idea that children need to be entertained for 6 weeks. Part of parenting is allowing children to be bored, to learn to entertain themselves, to encourage autonomy. It really irritates me when I see these endless threads bleating about how they don't know how to entertain their perfectly capable offspring. The 16 year old will have to sort themselves out and it will do the 9 year old the world of good to not have mummy running around after them all day organising entertainment lest the little darling get bored.

Nearly adult? Her youngest is 9.

If you bothered to read the whole thread you will see I corrected my mistake and admitted I'd misread 9 as 19. My comments still stand though.

Where do you normally go and what is your budget this year?

Yes but that's the problem with modern life isn't it? Kids don't play out. Lots of teens don't even socialise outside anymore. It's a lot of pressure on one person, usually mum, to provide entertainment. If you don't, your kids won't come up with interesting things to do, they'll sit on screens all day.

i do agree that it’s not like when I was a kid and we used to be out all the time
go out in the morning and come back for tea
no phones etc
wish it was that was really as it was a lot more free for parents and kids
but no other kids play out
like we used to as kids and when we were kids internet didn’t even exist and computer games etc we certainly didn’t have any
didn’t even have a house phone until I was almost an adult

i do over try tho
i know that

Are you going to tell us where you usually go and what your budget is?

Well it’s nothing crazy just a U.K. holiday place

Have you asked them what they want to do? Is it that bad if one of them wants to spend the summer gaming? Kids need down time as well. I spent one entire summer playing the sims and I turned out fine!

Exactly. I'd make it a "screen-free summer" and alert them to start planning now.

The damage that screening and gaming do to a young brain is incalcuable. At 9 he is old enough to find other pursuits and learn new skills or do something productive.

I don't spend my days off, at home being bored, so I'm not sure why I should inflict it on my children. I go stir crazy if I have to be home all day. One of my children quite likes being at home and amusing himself so I will definitely schedule quite a few chill days at home for him over the holidays. However my other two are more like me and like to be out and about or with friends, so I will be making sure that I have lots of plans for them over the holidays

Surely the 16 year old will be hanging around with mates? As for the 9 year old if you are willing to host for play dates I’m sure your will have lots of takers. Most parents are desperate for childcare during the holidays.